36 International Travel Tips Especially to Israel

This list of 36 International Travel Tips was written to pertain to a 14-day SOLO trip to Israel, but I am sure that absolutely anyone traveling internationally can find the use of it. Many may see this who are headed to the states and could use them. Happy travels where ever you set your sails for!

Really International Travel Tips for Anywhere,

Especially to Israel

If it is Israel you’re headed to, well here are a few tips, some are more relevant than others. (Some of the exact items I own are shown for purchase, just click on item to buy now. I may make a little, but it will not affect the price you pay.)

If you are traveling without a group & possibly driving, a few may be more applicable.

Out of 36 International Travel Tips, these are mainly for Driving

Make sure you register with the US Embassy that you are traveling to a foreign country.

You need to double-check insurance coverage: Health & car, if renting

Take pictures of a rental car when you pick up & drop off.

You should REALLY try to understand some of the driving laws before you just jump out there and figure out they only use kilometers per hour.

Know your toll roads. They are great, but I was hit for over $30 in toll fees a month after I got home.

You definitely need to know that if you are in Jerusalem there are certain lanes that are for buses only, and sometimes your lane weirdly might end and you ARE NOT to turn left across traffic – in front of the bus….oops… Thank goodness no pictures appeared. I’m just praying there are no leftover “sins” hanging in the balance of the traffic courts.

YES, they have traffic cameras – everywhere. City streets & state highways. Figure out the speed limits.

You should download a couple of apps that will help you communicate and navigate: Waze, WhatsApp, Mobile Passport, Nemo/Hebrew (will help you with a few common words, toda & bevakasha) and make sure you have easy access to Google translate – many speak Hebrew and English.

Most important signs will have Arabic, Hebrew, and English. Smaller street signs will not – hence why Waze saved me so many times.

You may want to check into exchange cash for shekels at your bank before you go. Just don’t overdo it. Check their price, it is probably cheaper here than there. You can use American dollars, credit cards and shekels. Call your credit card company before you travel and let them know. I highly suggest using a cc, not a debit, for the protection of your banking account. You can change back at the airport before you leave, but I’d advise you to spend instead of paying exchange rates.

DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PASSPORT ANYWHERE!!! EVER!!! If you have a safe ok, but DO NOT LEAVE IT IN THERE EITHER.

I suggest taking a picture in your notes area of your phone of all important documents. Passport, DL, Health Ins. card, the little paper visa you will receive when you arrive – NO! JUST DO NOT LOSE IT!!!! You have to have it to leave.

36 International Travel Tips – The Must have items

I mention this in most of my list that have to do with travel, so if you have seen it before, sorry. Ziplocks y’all! I carry the freezer ones. Snack, quart & gallon. It’s good start the trip with items in a few (I hate spill messes), but I always carry empty’s. With the rare case of leftovers. I left them with my AirBnB in Netanya last year, because he had never had any bags that had the “zip”. I don’t go crazy, but 2 – 3 in each size is great to have. Put all of them in one of the gallon ones, so they aren’t a hot mess or get holes in them.

I prefer a small ice chest that has a hard, removal, inner liner to pack my makeup. It is then placed inside of my checked suitcase. When I arrive I go get a case of bottled water. I would drink 1 or 2, save the bottle and fill about ⅔ full with tap water and freeze. This was my ice for the day! (If paper towels were available I wet a couple, put them in a Ziplock and froze, also). I would remove makeup that didn’t have heat-sensitivities, put the rest in a Ziplock added a couple of cold water and was set with drinks for the day. If you are with a tour group this will not be as big a deal. Just put heat sensitive items inside the bus up above seats. They are always running with AC and locked when you aren’t on them. I left my purse on it most of the time. Our bus had cold water for $1 a bottle, so we just bought it.

Medicine – take a picture of your prescription bottle, and you should leave it in it…

Coffee will be really different – NO Starbucks, mostly instant.

No ice tea, but we did improvise. Kinda – Ice was not always easy to come by. There were a couple of tea bags in our room usually, and we picked up a few extra when we would go to breakfast or dinner buffets. We used 2-3 tea bags and our hot water maker in the room & let steep. We would make in a coffee cup, transfer to a glass, locate ice and finally have a “tea fix.”

Many of their washcloths are closer to the size of a hand towel. You never get enough washcloths, so I carry add water facial cloths. I use on my face, then in shower for my washcloth. You reuse towels, a couple of times, maybe more if you stay AirBnB. Which I love there!

You will need an adapter for any type of cord that you care to Israel. Should you be carrying your own hairdryer or flat iron, consider a converter.

36 International Travel Tips – The Good to have items

You should carry sleep aid. I use NyQuil, Zzzquil or Benadryl.

I personally ALWAYS travel with Phenergan (prescription only), Zofran (prescription only), Imodium & Pepto-Bismol tablets. Nothing worse than spending vacation in the hotel & miserable. I have a few food allergies, so better safe than sorry. The Pepto is a new one on my list. I’ve read in a couple of others travel blogs that they take an hour before they are going to eat to prevent issues.

Sleep mask & ear plugs are better safe than sorry. Headphones I cover all of these items in my “Make Me Fly Friendlier” list. It’s yours for FREE when you sign up for my newsletter.

Take a small neosporin, cortisone, bandaids & vaseline (make sure, men or women) coat or cover any skin openings or abrasions that might just react to EXTREME salt water if you are Dead Sea floating. DO NOT shave your legs the day you are swimming in the Dead Sea…mistake….

Small flexible tripod with a Bluetooth remote clicker.Not only great for selfies and groupies, but also bends to wrap around items for obscure shots! Not, a necessity for tourist, just us weirdos who blog, LOL!

36 International Travel Tips – What’s Good to know

If your mattress is totally unbearable, ask for a couple of extra pillows. I put them under me like a mattress pad.

If you do swim in the Dead Sea, when you get to your room thoroughly wash that water out of you clothes, so they will dry before you fly home, hopefully.

A small backpack especially for Jerusalem. Mine has safety lock, which is advisable in any large, crowded city.

No shorts or sleeveless shirts in holy places, is recommended, but there were people there in them. They will NOT let men on the Temple Mount with shorts. Women no tanks, shorts, etc. They will provide a wrap and a pull on skirt for men or women, but if you are not covered you will not go in. If you have a large lightweight scarf they can be used several ways.

Extremely comfortable shoes. When out in the countryside, tennis shoes/hiking type tennis shoes are my favorite. They will get dusty. Uneven terrain makes up old city streets, too. I do not recommend flip flops for touring. You’ll want to have swim shoes for the river.

Don’t miss subscribing to my emails so you can get my best tips for flights.

My best advice is to click on any of the items that I mentioned and go ahead and get them sent to you to take that off your plate.

I hope this helps in some small way. I am sure that these tips would apply to anyone traveling internationally. Even if you live in another country and were coming to America!!!

Should you be flying Long haul these are my Must-Have 21 Items you’ll want to make sure they are in your bag.

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Trina Welch

Hey y’all, it’s Trina ~ Redneck Rhapsody – Where living is a state of mind. Thank's for dropping in! I live in small town AR with my 2 men (with skin) & 2 boys (with fur). I LOVE to travel and share about my journeys. When I’m not doing that, I’m doing shab rehab, breaking, baking or candle making.
Well, welcome to Redneck Rhapsody, grab a glass of tea or wine. Let’s take a little time to sit a spell & spend some serendipitous moments. Hope hanging out here will give you a break / push / pull or giggle to get you through till the next time.

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